Lightningstrike's Glorious Book of Challenges
by Lightningstrike of ForestClan
Summary: Since many people are doing this (And it's also more efficient), I'm starting a book of challenges! Big note: This is its own world! Each challenge is in the same clans! This will contain every challenge I complete, for any forum. They will be in order of when they were submitted. Thanks for reading, and make sure to check out my first full fanfiction, The Meteor Prophecy!
1. Mine (for TorrentClan)

"Briarblaze! Briarblaze!" I drank in the sweet sound of my clanmates enthusiastically cheering my name. I was a warrior now.

"Congratulations!" I turned to see Brackenbreeze—my mentor—standing next to me, his yellow eyes shining with pride. "I knew you'd do really well."

I nodded my head vigorously, remembering I was forbidden from speaking on my vigil.

"You're a full Thunderclan warrior!"

That was my sister, Hollylight. She was the medicine cat apprentice, but had gotten her full name last half-moon. I flicked my tail in thanks, not really knowing what else to do.

"Well," Hollylight mewed shortly, "I must be off. There are herbs which I must collect before leaf-bare hits." She walked off, shooting Brackenbreeze a friendly look.

My tail suddenly lashed in anger. Why would you be angry? The logical side of my brain thought smoothly. She's lucky to be friends with such a good mentor and warrior. The words rang true, but the nagging feeling of jealousy remained, quivering deep inside my chest. I didn't want anyone else ever looking at him like that.

"I need to go too," Brackenbreeze said, with a slightly odd intonation. Was that a hint of regret in his voice? "I have to do the evening patrol."

I allowed him to pass, my spine tingling strangely as his fur brushed mine. I continued watching the camp with a sweeping gaze after he left, making sure all the cats were sound asleep and safe in their nests. The vigil was long, but not uncomfortable; the early leaf-fall nights still retained some comforting warmth from the sunny days before them.

"Goodnight," Brackenbreeze whispered as he slipped past me into camp again. "See you tomorrow."

Although I could not say anything, I felt profound emotions, glowing with their intensity, seeping into my gaze at his dimly lit form striding confidently through the camp. I sighed deeply, and glanced back around the area, continuing my watch and finishing my warrior vigil.

When I woke up, it was past sunhigh, since I had gone to sleep at dawn.

"Are you ready for your first hunting patrol as a warrior?" Mousefoot asked brightly; He was another recently named warrior, having had his ceremony only last moon.

I purred lightly in response, stretching and stepping assuredly out of the den. "Who else is coming?" I asked over my shoulder as I padded into the sunlit clearing.

"Oh," Mousefoot replied with a shrug, "Fernpelt and—uh—Brackenbreeze. He was your mentor, right?"

My eyes lit up with excitement at hearing Brackenbreeze's name, and I gave Mousefoot a hasty affirmative. Bounding happily across the clearing, I slid to a stop in front of Brackenbreeze. "We're going on a hunting patrol!"

"Who else is coming?" he questioned nonchalantly. "Mousefoot and Fernpelt," I answered evenly, not much caring with whom we would patrol.

He licked his paw and ran it quickly over his ear a few times to clean it. "When do we leave?"

Mousefoot pranced over with Fernpelt in tow. "Right now!" he announced proudly.

"Great!" Brackenbreeze exclaimed, obviously thrilled at the simple task of serving his clan. He started towards the camp entrance, and we all followed him; I was especially eager to prove myself a worthy warrior.

 _And you're trying to prove something else, too,_ nagged a persistent part of my mind. _Shut up,_ I thought crossly. By now, the hunting patrol had reached a large, open clearing near the ShadowClan border.

"Let's split up," Brackenbreeze suggested thoughtfully.

"Yeah," I agreed, quickly thinking of a reason. "We won't scare off each other's prey then." The two other warriors nodded their assent, and headed in opposite directions in unspoken agreement, taking courses which led away from the border. I glanced wistfully at Brackenbreeze, closing my eyes dreamily as I savored these few moments alone with him, then headed away from the lake.

Smelling mouse, I quickly crouched behind some brambles, trying to pinpoint the creature's location. There: It was nibbling peacefully on some seeds, thankfully upwind of me. I maneuvered carefully around the brambles, getting into a good attack position.

Wiggling my haunches for added force, I sprang at the furry body, snapping its neck with a sharp bite and not forgetting to thank StarClan for its life. Burying the mouse under a small holly bush where I would remember it, I headed back towards the center of our territory, reasoning that none of the other cats would be there.

I glanced to the left and saw a plump vole scurrying about barely a fox-length away. Thinking quickly, I leaped through the air directly towards it. However, something spooked the vole, and it disappeared down a tiny hole, leaving me to land where it had been only a heartbeat before, empty-pawed.

 _Funny,_ I thought. _It didn't see me, and I was downwind too!_ Suddenly, I caught a whiff of Brackenbreeze's scent from past where the vole was. Wondering why he was here, I crept slowly through the ferns to the edge of a small, sunlit clearing. He was completely oblivious to my presence, simply sitting in the open and looking into the forest.

Staring into those deep golden eyes, I came to realize how I truly felt. I was in love with Brackenbreeze. I remembered all the times we went out as mentor and apprentice; this feeling had been forming in me for a long time, but now I finally knew what it was.

I loved Brackenbreeze, and almost mustered the courage to step out and tell him. But then Hollylight slid out of the shadows, which were intensified by the shimmering sunlight streaming down into the clearing and upon Brackenbreeze's gorgeous dappled bronze pelt.

 _What is she doing here?_ I thought curiously; It seemed too coincidental that they would just happen to see each other here. I heard her greet Brackenbreeze warmly, and him purr in return. The hairs on my back began to prickle with suspicion and dread as I realized this was all set up. _He arranged this; He met with her! But why?_

"Hollylight," Brackenbreeze mewed happily. "I'm so glad you came! Now, what did you want to tell me?" I craned my neck, angling my ears to hear them as they spoke.

"Brackenbreeze, I…" Hollylight broke off hesitantly, then whispered, "I love you."

I could barely contain my utter horror. _NO! She can't! I loved him first!_ Brackenbreeze seemed slightly surprised, pulling back sharply. _Maybe he doesn't love her back!_

"Hollylight, I—I didn't expect this…" _Yes! He loves me instead!_

Brackenbreeze continued, his voice suddenly glowing with affection: "I never thought you felt the same way I did. I love you too!"

 _NOOOOOOOOOO!_ I turned and sprinted blindly from the scene, tearing my soft brown and white fur on the encroaching brambles as I blundered through the forest in despair. Tears began pouring from my eyes, further blurring my vision of the greenery speeding past me.

 _He couldn't! He has to love me! He has to be Mine!_

Panting now, I collapsed in a small hollow, the bitter, salty tears of my abject hopelessness flowing down my face. "It can't be!" I wailed brokenly to the stars and sky. "They can't be mates! I need him!" The cosmos gave no answer, the deep orange sun only continuing to sink, as it did every single day.

I let out a long, guttural, wordless howl, standing and staggering, utterly destroyed, to the lake. _Maybe I'll drown myself. At least then I won't have to live feeling like my heart is being stabbed by the claws of all of ShadowClan, trampled by all the badgers in the world, then ripped to pieces in front of me._

I had completely given up and was about to throw myself into the water, almost relishing the thought of my own death. But then something strange happened. The evening sun peeked out through a gap in the trees, tinging the lake a fatal shade of red. As I stared at the now blood-colored liquid lapping at the shore, I realized what I had to do. Grinning as my cunning plan began to take shape in my mind, I headed back to camp, not forgetting to pick up some extra prey along the way.

I woke up, yawning loudly and relishing the feeling of warm sunlight encasing my body in its glimmering rays. Today was the day. Today I would win his heart. There was to be a battle with ShadowClan; we were both on the patrol.

My bright green eyes glowed as I imagined the scene:

 _The fighting is intense, the warriors screeching and clawing each other, crimson blood spattering ground and fur alike. An enemy warrior lunges at Brackenbreeze, eyes glinting with malice, aiming to kill._

 _I leap across the raging battlefield, yowling at the top of my lungs as I bowl the warrior off Brackenbreeze._

 _"You saved my life," he mews breathlessly after I send the enemy screaming back to their camp._

 _I acknowledge his awe with a gentle nod, saying I would do anything for him. The battle is now finally over; we have driven off the last defeated enemy. I stare longingly into his beautiful yellow eyes; waiting for him to respond as they twinkle up at me._

 _"I—" he chokes out, breaking off and regaining his composure. "I love you, Briarblaze. I had another crush, but… You're different."_

 _I purr and press my tingling pelt to his, filled with the passionate fire of my love. We will be mates forever._

I was snapped out of my perfect reverie by Lightningstrike, the clan deputy, coughing expectantly beside me. "We're leaving now," he mewed, his face set in determination for the coming fight. "Are you ready?"

I nodded vigorously, eyes alight with excitement—but not just for the battle.

"The battle patrol is leaving now," Lightningstrike announced clearly, his voice ringing out in the enclosed camp as he began to tread toward the entrance. The many other cats who would join us all came forth and streamed out of the camp.

Our patrol stayed as silent as possible, creeping stealthily through the forest, until we were in sight of the ShadowClan border. We moved into an attack formation behind the thick wall of shielding brambles, waiting for ShadowClan to make the first move.

A lone cat slid from the darkness on the other side of the border, glancing around furtively and giving a quick flick of his tail. More cats poured out behind him, eyes searching warily for signs of enemies.

"Climb the trees," Lightningstrike whispered. I nodded, quickly passing the instruction on and scampering up a nearby maple. The ShadowClan cats advanced slowly into our territory, completely unaware we were there. Lightningstrike gave me a flick of his ear, signaling for the battle to begin.

"ThunderClan, attack!" I yowled, leaping from my tree onto the back of an utterly dumbstruck calico she-cat. I screeched with triumph as my claws scored long gashes down her flanks, blood welling up from the wounds. She let out a sharp cry of agony, rolling over and throwing me off onto the ground.

I leapt to my feet, ready to continue the fight, but she ran from the fray, leaving crimson spots on the ground below her. I snorted in contempt, launching myself back into the writhing mass of cats.

I tackled a russet tom, and was tearing into his exposed belly when I heard a cry for help. I whipped my head around, and my eyes went wide as I saw Brackenbreeze pinned beneath a massive black tabby; he was thrashing violently, but to no avail. The black cat sneered and lowered his head to deliver a killing bite.

"No!" I shouted, throwing myself towards Brackenbreeze. Time slowed down as I flew across the clearing. _I'm not going to make it,_ I thought despairingly.

 _No,_ countered the part of me which had planned this. _You'll do it._

I was barely a tail-length from him when Hollylight appeared out of the blue. I watched in shock, which turned to abject horror as she slammed into the burly tom, knocking him a fox-length away. I landed short, skidding to a halt and simply staring at the two cats on top of each other.

"You—" Brackenbreeze choked. "You saved me."

Hollylight purred and licked his cheek, as the fight still raged around them. "Anything for you, my love."

Something snapped inside me, and it was all I could do not to hurl myself onto Hollylight right there and then, ripping the life from her glistening amber eyes. Instead, I took out my rage on the ShadowClan warriors, tearing clumps of fur from their pelts. As the last warrior scurried into the bushes, I was panting, turning left and right to look for more victims.

"Briarblaze," Hollylight mewed, sidling over to me. "It's over."

I looked around once more, shook myself, and sighed with such a mix of emotions as to be indescribable. "Yes," I agreed. "It's over."

It was now the day after the battle. I was crouching by the edge of camp, crunching vengefully on a mouse on which I imagined Hollylight's face.

 _She agreed,_ I thought, remembering last night when I had asked her if I could help her collect some catmint. I knew a perfect place, but it was at the bottom of a sheer cliff, with sharp rocks lining the bottom.

As I finished my meal, Hollylight came up beside me, an expectant look in her eyes. "Are you ready to go?" She asked, paws kneading the ground in understandable impatience; it was now coming up on leaf-bare, and she would need the catmint to cure the inevitable bout of deadly greencough.

"I'm ready," I replied, my eyes shining at the thought of what I was about to do. We padded silently through the forest, watching as the first amber leaves of leaf-fall spiraled forlornly from their trees. We reached the edge of the ravine, stopping to look down at the crucial little leaves growing at the bottom.

"This is the place," I mewed, keeping any hint of my plot out of my voice.

"How do you propose we get down?" Hollylight questioned anxiously, glancing from the fatal rock face up to me.

I stared back at her, my gaze now clouding with the hate I felt for her. "Something like this," I snarled viciously, rearing up to my full height and shoving her off the cliff.

She let out a horrified shriek, which was abruptly ceased as she slammed onto the rocks below with a dull thud.

I leaped gracefully down a secret path, purring as I saw my nemesis sprawled on the ground at my feet, broken. She twitched feebly, and I put on a smirk as she opened her eyes and weakly coughed up blood.

"Why?" She whispered, straining her neck to look at me. "Why would you do this?"

"You stole my mate," I replied, my voice dripping with venom. "You can't even take a mate, being a medicine cat, but you did anyway, and stole my love from me." I lowered my head, my eyes boring into hers, making sure she would feel my loathing. "He will be Mine," I hissed. "Mine forever."

I silenced her with a jerk of my paw, shuddering in satisfaction as the blood ran freely from her neck and swirled around my paws. My job now done, I bent down and lifted her body in my jaws, feigning tenderness so I wouldn't be suspected.

I carried her all the way back to camp, screwing up my eyes with false tears. I stumbled through the entrance, collapsing after I set Hollylight's body gently in the middle of the clearing. Shocked gasps and cries arose as the clan saw Hollylight's limp form in the center of camp.

"What?" Lightningstrike exclaimed as he scrambled out into the light, aghast at seeing the medicine cat dead in front of him. "What happened?"

"I—" I choked, still forcing myself to sob. "We were going to collect catmint, and… She…" I broke off, burying my face in my chest, secretly grinning in pleasure.

I recomposed my grief-stricken expression, raising my head shakily to speak again. "She fell off the cliff! When I got down, she was already dying, and she said… She said to tell Brackenbreeze he would find another cat; she was not meant for him."

I gulped and continued weeping, shoving my muzzle into Hollylight's neck. I surreptitiously licked the fur clean so no cat would notice the claw marks. From the corner of my eye, I saw Lightningstrike explaining to the cats what had happened, then heading into the den to get Brackenbreeze. I looked up to see him walk out of the den, and instantly recoil when he saw who was lying on the ground, dead.

"NOOOOOOO!" he screamed. "Hollylight, no! HOLLYLIGHT!"

He sprinted across the clearing, tumbling to land beside her. He raised his head and let out a piercing caterwaul of agony.

"You can't leave me," he mumbled as he pressed his fur to hers.

"I won't leave you," I mewed softly, sliding across so our pelts touched lightly. "She was my sister, and your mate; I can help you with this."

He nodded weakly, tears still splashing on Hollylight's side from his eyes. "But what if I can't?" he whispered, closing his eyes against the sobs of grief. I laid my head next to his, quietly uttering expressions of sorrow.

I woke up the next day, blinking blearily in the morning sun. Brackenbreeze stirred in his sleep, suddenly crying out for Hollylight.

I shook him awake, and his eyes rested on Hollylight's body in front of us. He let out another moan, burying his face in her fur and drinking in her scent for the last time.

"She told me to find another," he choked. "But how?"

I rested my muzzle on his shoulder and purred. "As long as they love you, it will all fall into place."

He stiffened slightly and turned a questioning look on me. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I—" I started, then cleared my throat. "I love you, Brackenbreeze. We are both devastated by this loss, but let it be our making, not our undoing."

His wondrous yellow eyes lit up in surprise, and with affection. "I-I never realized…" he stammered, "But I love you too."

I shifted closer to him, entwining our tails, and murmuring soft words of tender emotion. He turned his head back to Hollylight, crying again over her death.

Glancing to the side as he licked her pelt, I saw my sister's spirit, weeping tears of betrayal at the cruel deed I had done. She was horrified at how I had played her murder to make Brackenbreeze my mate.

I growled at her, putting all the hate and betrayal I had felt into my voice. "He's Mine now," I sneered, curling my lip. "He will forever be Mine."


	2. Hesitation (for TorrentClan)

Hesitation

I am Heronwing, a warrior of RiverClan. I was once happy; I had a mate, a great life, and a promising future. That all changed the day she left me.

"Heronwing," she said. "I'm going to have kits."

I purred, slightly surprised, and nuzzled her flank. She pulled back sharply, and I looked up, confused.

"Larksong, what's wrong?" I asked, worried.

"Heronwing," she mumbled, looking at her paws. "They're not yours."

I stared uncomprehendingly, unable to believe what she was telling me.

"It was Brambeheart…"

"Did he force himself on you?" I questioned, desperate that it was the case, desparate that she still loved me, and had been taken advantage of. She shook her head regretfully.

"No," she replied quietly. "He didn't. I love him, Heronwing. I'm sorry." She turned and left, presumably to go see her _real_ mate, Brambleheart.

It was that day that a cold, black claw closed around my heart. I became numb to all emotions and sensations except my lust for revenge.

It has now been one moon since she left; one moon since she broke my heart. I get up, yawning and stretching the same way I have every day. The monotony has slowly weighed down my shoulders over time, but today will be different.

I act normal, simply walking over to the prey pile for a tasty trout. I watch out of the corner of my eye as Larksong and Brambleheart head out of camp.

Licking my lips, I follow them, prepared to use the excuse of a hunting patrol if anyone asks. Thankfully nobody does, and I make it through the entrance completely unnoticed. I stalk the two undeserving lovers, who are peacefully walking and sharing tongues.

I gag and break off, catching three minnows to take back when I return. I go back to the clearing I know Larksong and Brambleheart will end up in; they've been using this one since just after she dropped her bombshell on my life. I lurk in the shadows, waiting for the right moment.

"Oh, Brambleheart," Larksong whispers, leaning close to him. "I love you more than I can say."

He purrs in response, closing his eyes.

 _Yes! This is perfect! They're both completely oblivious!_ I let out a menacing growl, leaping from the bushes at the two astonished cats. I proceed to tackle Brambleheart, sinking my claws into his chest fur and pinning him down.

Larksong yelps in terror, flinching and crouching low in fear. I laugh, gazing down at the squirming tom beneath me, and the cowering she-cat to one side.

"You thought it would be simple," I cackle. "Just say, 'Sorry Heronwing, they're not yours,' and you can leave and everything will be okay?" I sneer at the pitiful form before me. "It's never that easy."

I glower at Larksong, making her shrink back even further. "I'll give you a choice," I say, allowing a hint of false leniency to creep into my voice. "Either you will be my mate forever, or I will kill this fox-heart—"I gesture at Brambleheart, who struggles some more "—right in front of you."

Larksong whimpers, shedding tears at my cruelty. "I'm sorry; I'm sorry," she weeps, holding my gaze with her petrified yet still beautiful grey eyes. "Please…"

I sneer at her, raking my claws through Bramblestripe's pelt and splattering his blood across the clearing. He screeches in pain, and Larksong screams, begging me to please stop. "I'll do anything—"

"No," Brambleheart wheezes. "Don't… Don't give yourself up… For the kits."

She breaks off into a wordless wail, closing her tear-filled eyes. I slide my paw up to Brambleheart's throat, teasing the fur with my claws.

"This is your last chance," I say. "Join me, or I kill him."

Larksong opens her eyes and looks desperately at Brambleheart, who nods slightly. "I…" she chokes, "I'll never join you."

Suddenly, I doubt myself. _Can I really do this? I've been good all my life…_

 _And look where that got you,_ interject my vengeful thoughts. _All that effort, and then your mate leaves you for some stuck-up flea-pelt._

 _But if you love her that much, surely her happiness would be all you need, right?_

I stand there, my mind whirling. Each side of the issue is tossed back and forth, and my head starts to hurt. _I need to decide._ Thinking of all the emotions I felt that day: the hurt, the longing, and the despair, I know what I need to do.

I flick my forepaw, spraying blood onto Larksong and the ground around her. She shrieks in grief, burying her head in her paws and sobbing. Brambleheart is still alive, barely, and his eyes settle on his mate.

"Now for you," I jeer, leaping onto the calico she-cat. She doesn't resist as I flip her onto her back, exposing her soft underbelly. I sink my claws in just under her ribcage. She squeals in agony as I slowly tear open a thick gash down her stomach, crimson liquid pouring out and soaking my paws. She twitches once more, then is still.

My mission is now complete. Great StarClan, revenge tastes so sweet. I wash off the blood—not in a stream, but with my tongue—savoring the salty taste in my mouth. I sleep in the wild that night, no longer caring for my clan. I wake up in StarClan, with Larksong in front of me.

"Why have you brought me here?" I hiss. "You don't even deserve to be in StarClan!"

"I'd like to show you something," she says, revealing three tiny kits. Two have her calico pelt, but one… One looks exactly like me.

"No!" I whisper, shock rendering my voice tiny and hollow. I raise my head and caterwaul to the now-empty sky, ripping my vocal cords with my horror. "NO!" I wail. "NOOOOOOOOO!"

I am Heronwing, and I truly regret what I did. It's too late now; I killed myself when I found out, and faded from memory forever.


	3. Hey Brother (for TorrentClan)

Hey Brother

Dawnshade woke up slowly, stretching his supple legs eagerly in the rich breeze of greenleaf.

"Hey, Dawnshade," called his brother, Leafdusk.

"Hey, brother," Dawnshade responded. "What's up in your world?"

"Well, I…" Leafdusk broke off awkwardly. He cleared his throat, and leaned in closer. "I'm going to propose to her… to Sorrelshine."

Dawnshade purred, not very surprised; his brother had been padding after that pretty tabby for what seemed like moons. "I'm so glad! You'll do fine."

"But what if…" Leafdusk fretted. "What if she says no?"

"I don't think she will," Dawnshade replied soothingly. "She's a great cat; she should be happy with you." Leafdusk nodded, somewhat appeased. He still paced, however; he was obviously very anxious about this.

"Hey," Dawnshade said, coming closer to his brother and licking his shoulder with affection. "Even if she doesn't, there are other she-cats, and I'll always be here for you."

In reality, he was scared too; he had tried to protect his brother their whole lives, but wasn't sure he could do anything about this. _Please, StarClan,_ he prayed. _Make this work out._

"I'd better get going," Leafdusk told him. "I have the dawn patrol."

Dawnshade nodded, allowing him to leave. "Have a great day, and tell Sorrelshine I said hi!"

Leafdusk agreed to do so, leaving the ThunderClan camp with the rest of the dawn patrol. Dawnshade sighed, still worried for his brother. He knew that no matter what he did, a broken heart could only heal on its own, and that took time. He didn't want to see Leafdusk go through that.

 _He'll do fine; everything will be all right,_ he told himself. He wasn't sure of it, but he shook himself, forcing his troubled mind to let it go for the time being. He stepped over to the fresh-kill pile, plucking a small magpie from the top; he wasn't terribly hungry. As he ate, ejecting feathers with every bite, Lightningstrike came up to him.

"Are you up for hunting?" the deputy asked, gesturing at the prey pile; it was running rather low for greenleaf.

"Certainly," Dawnshade replied, happy to have a task to take is mind off of worry for his brother. _I should stop worrying,_ he thought, getting up after he finished his meal. _He's a full warrior; he can look after himself without me._

Dawnshade padded to the entrance, where Lightningstrike was waiting. He had brought Mousefoot as well. "Let's go," he instructed, setting out into the forest. Dawnshade followed behind the two warriors, constantly pulling himself out of thoughts of his brother. He finally got himself to concentrate when he found a mouse in some ferns.

He motioned for hid clanmates to continue, stopping to hunt the furry little being. He moved so that he was downwind of it, creeping up unseen as it sat in its scant cover, evidently thinking it was safe. _Not so,_ Dawnshade thought, smirking as he pounced and killed it with a lightning-fast nip to the neck. He purred lightly in satisfaction, burying the body to be picked up later.

He caught up with the rest of his patrol; they had managed between themselves to catch two shrews and a rabbit. Dawnshade helped Mousefoot to catch a large blackbird; they worked well together, Dawnshade startling it towards a waiting Mousefoot, who made a clean kill of it.

They carried their plentiful catch proudly back to camp, Dawnshade remembering to retrieve his mouse from earlier. When they arrived back home, they realized just how much their prey had been needed; many more of the warriors had eaten, and the prey pile was all but nonexistent.

"Nice job," Leafdusk complimented, looking upon the hunting party happily as they set down their fresh prey.

"Thanks," Dawnshade replied humbly. "It's not that impressive…"

"Anything that serves the clan is impressive," Leafdusk insisted.

"Speaking of impressive," Dawnshade interjected, "Have you asked that shining beauty to be your mate yet?" He was referring, of course, to Sorrelshine.

"No," Leafdusk answered shyly, "I'll do it at sunhigh." Dawnshade nodded in response; that was a good idea, as that was when the light would be warmest and everyone would be most relaxed. Sunhigh would be a great time to propose. It was near already; Hunting had taken almost the whole morning, and the fiery orb was quickly approaching its peak.

Dawnshade snapped himself from his momentary daydream, only to realize his brother had seemingly vanished. Frantically looking around, he caught sight of a dappled orange and black tail, and sighed with relief. He was instantly glad the tortoiseshell tom was safe.

Suddenly, he wondered where his brother was going. Oh, he thought to himself. He's going to tell her now! Deciding he wanted to see it for himself, he padded nonchalantly out of the camp, following Leafdusk's trail. He watched from a distance as Leafdusk led a slightly confused Sorrelshine to a beautiful, sunlit clearing.

Dawnshade quickly scaled a tree to get a better view while remaining hidden; he wanted to make absolutely certain everything went perfectly for his brother.

"What is it?" Sorrelshine asked quietly, her sweet, ethereal scent wafting gracefully up to Dawnshade's nose. Entranced, Dawnshade leaned off his branch, gazing down at the two felines below him.

"I wanted to ask you," Leafdusk began softly, "If you would be…"

"Be what?" Sorrelshine questioned, extending her neck so her head was right next to his face, her whiskers lightly brushing his.

"Will you be my mate?"

An eerie silence filled the air, lasting for several unbearable seconds before Sorrelshine finally answered.

"I…" She ducked slightly, pulling away from Leafdusk with a regretful expression on her face. "I'm sorry, but… I love another cat."

Dawnshade's jaw dropped, and he stared uncomprehendingly at the petite she-cat.

"Who?" Leafdusk whispered, tears beginning to form in his eyes. "Who do you love?"

"It's…" Sorrelshine mumbled, the name of the cat cut off as her voice faded into silence. A pained look came into her eyes, and she opened her mouth to confess who it was. "The only cat I love is… Dawnshade."

The shock slammed into Dawnshade with a nearly audible thud, and he felt as if a mountain had just been dropped on top of him, obliterating his body and leaving his consciousness dispersed and empty. Losing his touch with the world, the deep orange tom fell from the tree, landing on the ground with a disgruntled hiss. His paws splayed around him as he impacted the hard dirt below.

"Dawnshade!" Sorrelshine cried in shock. "Are you all right?" She paced around him, anxious for his answer.

Dawnshade's mind was in a daze, but he said the first thing that came to him. "I love you too," He breathed tenderly.

He opened his eyes, and instantly realized that was the wrong thing to say, seeing the expression of utter horror on his brother's face.

"No, wait!" he gasped, frantically leaping up next to the other tom. "That's not what I—"

"Save it for some cat you actually care for," Leafdusk snarled, his expression hardening into one of pure disgust. "Since I'm obviously not one of them, you needn't speak to me again. I'm never coming back! Never!" He whipped around and stalked into the undergrowth, tail lashing in fury.

"No!" Dawnshade pleaded after him. "Please come back! I'm sorry…" There was no response, and he broke off, lowering his head in despair.

"This is my fault," Sorrelshine wailed, collapsing on the ground. "If only I had loved him, he wouldn't have left…"

"It's not your fault," Dawnshade purred, bittersweet tears running down his muzzle as he lay down with Sorrelshine. "It's mine. I was blind to your affection, and I let him go on mooning over you when you would never have accepted him. If he had found out sooner, he wouldn't have been so upset…" He trailed off, giving himself up to sobs. _I ruined everything,_ he thought miserably. _I'll never see him again._


	4. Love From a Different View (TorrentClan)

Love… From a Different View

I shriek in terror, running blindly in whichever direction I am facing. _They took everyone,_ is my only thought. _The twolegs took them all._ Faces flash before my eyes, glistening with tears of despair: the faces of my friends and clanmates, whom I saw taken from me all at once by those… those beasts.

My legs finally give out, and I sprawl on the ground, crying softly at the hopelessness that is encroaching on my mind. "What will I do?" I wail to no one in particular, raising my open mouth to the sky. "There's nobody left!"

Suddenly, the weight of the situation slams into me, shattering the frail fragments of futile hope I had left. I am now the last one, the last cat of ThunderClan. I bury my nose in my paws, salty liquid soaking my ragged tortoiseshell fur and turning the ground beneath me to mud. I sit there for StarClan knows how long, weeping until my eyes feel like they're about to crack in two.

I blink weakly, the last of my powerful emotions expended for now. Suddenly, I hear the sound of twigs snapping. Something is crashing through the forest towards me. _It's the twolegs. They're coming for me at last. I'm sorry, ThunderClan. I've failed._

I catch a glimpse through the undergrowth, and gasp in surprise; I see not the pink, slimy skin and unnatural multicolored pelts of a twoleg, but instead the deep russet fur of a fellow cat. He bursts into the clearing in front of me, and I instantly recoil at seeing his identity.

"Foxclaw," I snarl. "Couldn't you have just gone with the rest of the clan?" My eyes glint, not teasingly, but with unfeigned abhorrence.

"Not if I wanted to survive," he huffs, evidently too winded to counter my venomous inflection.

"Pah," I spit. "That's what I meant."

"Well I'm not exactly thrilled you survived either, Shadowedleaf" he retorts, "But in case you hadn't noticed, we're the last two cats in our clan. Like it or not, we're going to have to work together."

"And do what?" I jibe back. "In case you hadn't noticed, our clan is gone. We're just a couple of warriors, not even the deputy or medicine cat or anything. They were taken too! They were all taken…" I break down into sobs again. They cut off abruptly as Foxclaw tries to rest his tail on my shoulder in comfort.

"I don't need your help," I seethe, shaking the tears from my deep blue eyes. I rise and spin on my hind leg, rudely flicking my tail in his face as I sprint away, desperate to get as far from that cat as possible. I climb trees once I am a good distance away, in order to ensure he can't follow my scent trail.

I would much rather be the last cat in ThunderClan than be stuck with that snake-tongued coward. _His name should have been changed to fox-heart,_ I rage, flashing back to the beginning of my hatred for him.

It all started when he took an interest in my sister. He was already a warrior, and we were only apprentices at the time, but I guess her shimmering pelt was a draw to anyone. He was still young, and had that hormonal lust gleaming in his eyes whenever they lighted upon her petite, innocent form.

He progressed their relationship quickly, going from sharing tongues in the day to meetings at moonhigh in less than half a moon. She had no idea what he was doing, but loved having attention, so she went along with everything he did.

One night, he took her to a far clearing at the corner of our territory. He made her keep it a secret, and I only found out about a moon later. That night, she returned strangely aroused, but she shrugged off all my questions. One moon later, I found out she was pregnant.

Her kits came early, only half a moon after that; they all died, but that wasn't the worst part. My precious little sister, my lovely Shimmerpaw, died in the nursery. She was barely eleven moons old, and pregnant before ten. All because of this lusty, perverted, self-centered _prick_ of a tom.

I shed a single silvery tear in her memory, watching as it floats through the air as if suspended, blossoming on the ground in a beautiful pattern. My mind wallows in misery as I lie in the crook of the willow tree, both at the sorrow of my sister's untimely death—I have always called it murder—and at the crushing burden of being the last respectable member of my clan.

 **Foxclaw's POV**

I sigh, resigned over the years to Shadowedleaf's hate for me, as she leaves the clearing in a whirlwind of fury.

 _I shouldn't have done that,_ I reflect, regretting my choice, moments before, to attempt to comfort the spitting she-cat by touching her. I should have known how that would end.

I know deep inside that we need to stick together; after the horrible tragedy which has befallen our clan, we're all that's left, and need to quickly rebuild or our clan will be destroyed.

I'm sure she sees this point of view, but refuses to have anything to do with me. And I understand why; after all, I impregnated her sister as an apprentice, killing her during kitting.

However, a darker part of me hates her too, thinking she has no right to be so angry at me. _It was just instinct,_ that part of my mind tells me, beginning to take over.

 _Besides, Shimmerpaw asked for it. She basically caused herself to die; it wasn't my fault. If anything, Shadowedleaf should be angry with her sister. Not with me._

 _But she has a right to be sad,_ the nicer side of me protests weakly, feebly trying to regain its position from these dark and corrupted thoughts. _It was only your lust which led you to pressure poor Shimmerpaw into letting you go into her; it's not her fault she was too innocent to understand it._

 _No,_ the darkness counters, _She had feelings for you too. And look at Shadowedleaf now; the whole clan sided with her, throwing scorn upon you._

I close my eyes and press my paws over my ears, squashing my face into the ground in an attempt to block out the arguing voices in my head.

"No!" I hiss. "Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!" The voices only become louder, easily overpowering anything my pitiful lungs are able to create. They fill my head, ricocheting around and causing my skull to feel that it's cracking apart from the turmoil inside.

Eventually, the conflict becomes too much for my feline form, and I pass out, savoring the black, silky silence for a fleeting moment before my consciousness departs like a freed spirit exorcised from its tortured host.

 **Shadowedleaf's POV**

Somewhere in the deepest recesses of my distraught mind originates a single thought, comprised of nothing but empty, abyssal blackness and two words: _Go on._

I wearily open my eyes, blinking off the crusts which formed in my fitful sleep. I didn't even realize I fell asleep, and I look around wildly, trying to regain my bearings.

I move to take a step forward, then pull back sharply in fear, a sinking feeling tingling through my stomach as I realize, just in time, that I am still in a tree several tail-lengths above the ground. Now fully alert, I warily make my way back down the tree, relieved when I make it safely to the solid earth upon which I now stand.

I bend down, sniffing for any trace of Foxclaw's scent. I am thankful to find none, and as I glance around the bushes, I see no evidence that I have been followed. Now relaxed, I meander through the forest, pondering what my next course of action should be. My decision is made for me when I hear my belly growl loudly.

"I guess I need to hunt," I mew to the stony, silent air. It brings back memories of hunting with my friends, but also the pain of their capture. I shake my dappled head, resisting the onrush of uncontrollable emotions, and focus on hunting.

I stalk lightly through the undergrowth, casting the piercing gaze of my optics around me, searching for signs of life. By the gnarled roots of an ancient oak, I spot a bushy squirrel, tail swishing through the leaves as it hunts for food.

I take a flying leap, not daring to approach any nearer for fear of detection. By the time the squirrel sees my sleek feline body hurtling towards it, there's nothing it can do. It throws itself vainly to one side, bit my paw slams down on it, breaking its flimsy spine.

I land gracefully and sit down to eat. I send a quick prayer to StarClan, although I feel vaguely betrayed; they didn't save my clan from near total destruction. I finish the squirrel, spitting out fur, when I hear rustling coming from a thick clump of ferns.

I stay still, slowly peering into the dense foliage. I think maybe there's some more prey, perhaps even a rabbit; that'd fill me up for days. Instead, I see a deep red form burst into view, skidding to a halt in front of me.

"You again?" I exclaim in surprise, stepping back a few paces. I quickly recover, placing a scowl on my face and curling my lips. "I thought I told you," I growl, my vocal cords sending pulses of hatred across the clearing, "that I wanted nothing to do with you."

He licks his pelt calmly. "I didn't know you were here," he explains nonchalantly, as if he expects me to believe him.

"Pfft," I scoff. "As if; I know you're following me, and I know why, too. You're after me, just like you were after Shimmerpaw."

He sighs, not confirming my accusation, but not refuting it either. "Look," he begins. "I know how much you hate me, and I know how much I resent you; I'm not asking you to stop hating me, nor would I expect you to."

"Good," I sneer. "You're not completely delusional."

He rolls his eyes and continues. "What I am asking you to do is to put your personal feelings to the side for the safety of your clan… our clan. Teamwork is our only chance of saving ThunderClan!" He paces agitatedly as he finishes his rousing, inspirational speech.

I have to admit, he has a point. But the thought of working with him… I just can't accept it. _Do it for the clan,_ part of me urges. _You need to save ThunderClan, and two cats, no matter their feelings for each other, are always better than one._

"No," I retaliate, resisting the pull of necessity. "I'm going to restore our clan to their rightful home, but I'm going to do it alone!"

I stalk off quickly into the bracken, scanning for clues as to where the other cats have been taken. _I have to find them first_ , I decide. _Then I can free them._ I return slowly to the trampled swath of forest where they were captured. The air is filled with the thick, choking reek of twoleg.

Through the smothering stench, I detect a hint of ThunderClan's distinctive, earthy aroma. I instantly perk up, following the trail intently. My eyes scan the ground, and I momentarily leap back in shock; there are splatters of blood dotting the forest floor.

I shake off my fear and pad onward, now more determined than ever to find my lost clanmates. _If those twolegs have hurt them,_ I plot darkly, _I'll shred them to pieces._

I nearly run into a stone wall at the edge of the forest; the path has led me to Twolegplace. I look up and gulp as I see that the wall is several fox-lengths tall; it would be impossible to scale.

 _What else can I do?_ Suddenly, it hits me: _The kits! How could I have forgotten them?_ I scamper away from the twoleg wall, desperate to reach the camp before something terrible happens to the precious little scraps of life.

 **Foxclaw's POV**

Shadowedleaf just left again. I am amazed by the true depth of her loathing for me. I always knew she hated me, but now I realize it is so passionate that it surpasses her clan loyalty.

 _Speaking of clan loyalty,_ I think, _I should help the clan,_ even if she is determined to go off on her own. I swiftly realize that the kits have been left in camp. It's nearly sunset, and they will be hungry and scared.

I spin and sprint through the forest, leaping clean over the gorse barrier in my haste as I arrive in the ThunderClan camp. I hear loud mewling coming from the nursery; the kits obviously know someone is here. I compose myself and walk in, maintaining an aura of calm despite the adversity of the situation.

"Hey, kits," I mew quietly, lowering my head to their eye level.

"Who are you?" one of them squeaks.

"I want my mama," the other two bawl, their faces screwed up in distress.

"Hush, now," I tell them. "I am Foxclaw. Your mama can't be with you right now, but I'll take care of you until she comes back." The little kits blink up at me in confusion.

"Where is she?" one of them asks, a she-kit with a black tuxedo pelt.

"She's on a mission," I say, lying so they won't be scared. "She'll be gone for a few days. I'll get you some food now."

The other kits stare uncomprehendingly as I hop over to the fresh-kill pile. Thankfully, there's some left over prey, and also the kits are old enough to eat it. I grab a mouse and bring it back into the nursery, tearing off three large pieces.

"Eat up," I instruct them, presenting each little bundle of fur with a share of food.

"I don't like mouse," a tiny white tom complains, shining blue eyes looking up at me in revulsion.

"Eat the mouse," I order sternly, "Or go hungry." The little tom debates within his mind for a few tense seconds, before reluctantly chewing up some of the meat. "That's a good kit," I purr, stroking him with my tail. The three kits finish their meal and begin to yawn.

"It's bedtime now," I announce, lightly pushing them into their nest.

"But…" the third kit, a gray tom with dark stripes, protests feebly. "I'm not… Not tired."

"Yes you are," I counter, chuckling slightly at his stubbornness. The tiny scrap tries to argue, but his eyes close and he drifts off. "There, there," I soothe. "Everything will be just fine."

I curl myself beside the kits, circling them protectively with my paws and tail, and lie down to go to sleep. I may not even really now these kits, but they are now my responsibility. I silently vow to keep them safe, no matter what.

 **Shadowedleaf's POV**

I race through the forest, the trees and bushes blurring around me in the darkening night. _Please, StarClan,_ I pray. _Please let the kits be all right._ I slide through the gorse barrier, catching my fur on the protecting thorns and panting as I regain my footing.

I burst into the nursery… and stop dead in my tracks. There in front of me are the precious little kits, sleeping soundly. But curled around them, sleeping with them, is the cat I least want to see: Foxclaw. I can barely refrain from shouting at him, but I know I cannot wake the kits.

I instead head off to the warriors' den, bristling at the fact that he got to them before me. The night is upon us, but the next day seems just as dark; we have no clan, no plan, and no hope. I coil up in the cold nest, luxuriating in the blissfully ignorant emptiness of sleep's embrace.

I awake to a bleak, pale dawn; the light is harsh and streams through the gaps in the leaves, its futile warmth overpowered by the iron grip of the earth's icy chill. It is well and truly leaf-fall now; soon, there will be snow, and prey will become nearly nonexistent.

I shiver slightly, getting out of the den and stretching to make the most of the sunlight. I turn to see the three kits tumbling out of the nursery, climbing over each other in their rush to explore.

"Wait just a moment!" Foxclaw exclaims, scrambling to his paws. He leaps from the nursery, and nearly falls over in surprise at seeing me in the camp.

"Wha—" he splutters. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find the kits," I reply coolly, stalking over to said fluffballs.

"Who're you?" They ask inquisitively.

"Foxclaw said our mommy is on a quest!" A jumpy tuxedo she-cat exclaims, barreling into me with a squeak. "Do you know where she is?"

"No, sweetie," I purr, lowering myself to the ground. "It's her special mission, but she'll be back soon."

"Okay," she replies happily, skipping back to Foxclaw. "Can we have a badger ride?" she begs, eyes wide and pleading.

"Yes, please?" Her two brothers rush over, already leaping onto Foxclaw's back.

"Uh," he grunts, collapsing dramatically. "Okay, climb on!"

"Yippee," the three little kits squeal, holding on tightly as he rises and prances around the clearing, feigning deep growls.

"Rrgh, these annoying kits," he rumbles. "Get them off me!" The three shriek in happiness, swaying wildly as he makes feeble attempts to shake them off of his back.

I hiss, slightly bored with his antics, and wander out of the camp. _I'll go find the clan again,_ I decide. _And this time, I'll get into Twolegplace and get them back._ I race through the trees, stopping at the point I last found their trail. I have a better look at the wall now, as well as more determination; I notice that it's not as high as I thought, and there is a tree right next to it with limbs which extend into the Twolegplace.

I let out a low purr of satisfaction, quickly scaling the tree and leaping lightly down onto the top of the wall. I can see for forever; twoleg dens dot the horizon, and extended left and right until I could see no more. I nearly fall off the wall, shocked at the massive sprawl that was Twolegplace. My heart feels like it is being squeezed by a stone paw, the life slowly dripping from it like blood from a fatal wound.

 _How will I find them? They could be anywhere._ I am about ready to run away and cry in despair, when a gray tabby tom emerges from the nearest den, seeing me.

"And who might you be?" He inquires, tilting his head up at me.

"My name is Shadowedleaf," I mutter, staring blankly down at him from my perch.

"Oh," he responds knowingly. "You must be one of them Clanners."

I take a few seconds to digest his strange dialect, then confirm his suggestion. "Yes, I am from the clans."

"I heard you Clanners don't take kindly to no strangers; what cause might bring you a-skulkin' around these parts?"

"I'm looking for the rest of my clan," I confess reluctantly; I shouldn't be dealing with kittypet lowlifes, but he may be a good chance of finding my clanmates. "They were taken by the twolegs yesterday…"

"Hm?" His eyes narrow in confusion. "Oh, you mean them Hind-leggers? Yep, I done heard they brought in a picking of Clanners 'round noon yes'rday, if them sleazy rogues are to be trusted."

My pelt tingles; I am so close. "Where are they now?"

"Well, I dunno for certain, bu' they be sayin' they's holed up in yonder buildin'." He points with his tail to a barren gray box of a twoleg structure; it rises above the ones around it, exuding an ominous colorless haze. I shudder, dreading the thought of going into that place.

 _It'll be for your clan,_ I tell myself, desperately trying to overcome my fear. "Well, thanks," I mew unsteadily to the strange tom.

"Oh, it ain't no inconvenience or nuthin'," he finishes. "Good luck ter ye!"

I nod, still thrown off by his lopsided accent. I set off along the top of the stone wall, taking up the fastest pace possible while still keeping my balance. I rapidly approach the cold, eerie building, my apprehension mounting with every pawstep, but I still plod on.

The wall ends before I reach the building, so I leap down, rolling to lessen the impact. I get up and approach the towering structure, quailing internally but determined to be brave for my clan. I skirt around the corner, flinching slightly at the rough feeling of the twoleg paths on my paws.

I jump, flattening myself to the ground as the shiny front of the building opens up; out come two twolegs, who thankfully don't notice me. Seeing my chance, I surge forward, slipping through the opening before it closes.

I gape in awe at the immense interior. The ground is paved with a smooth reflective stone, the space rises higher than the treetops of the forest, and an entrancing crystalline structure hangs suspended in mid-air, emanating a brilliant white light.

I jerk myself back to reality, frantically looking around to make sure I haven't been spotted. By StarClan's grace, none of the twolegs have seen me; they all seem busy with some strange objects for which I have no name. I slowly make my way across the floor, sniffing intently for any hint of my clan's smell.

I detect a faint wisp coming from the right side, and quickly slide into the brightly lit tunnel there. I try to remain as silent as possible, pressing my paws to the slick surface beneath them softly, and keeping my claws sheathed.

The scent becomes stronger as I approach an opening in the stark white wall, but it is now smothered in those of blood and fear. I shift my course, stepping into an enclosed space filled with strange cells made of silvery strands woven together.

Gasps of astonishment ring out among the trapped cats, seeing my sleek body appear in the entrance.

"Shadowedleaf!" they cry. "Help us! Get us out!"

"I don't know how," I explain agitatedly. "But are you okay? What happened? What did they do to you?"

"I don't know!" A black tom by the name of Shadestripe wails, rattling his cage.

"They took us here first," a calico she-cat called Dapplenose offers more calmly, though anxiety still shows in her voice. "Then they poked us with these weird things; they made us go unconscious, and when we woke up we were back here."

I shudder, wondering what terrible things could have befallen them during that time.

"Please…" Dapplenose breaks into a pained whisper. "Free us…"

I instantly step to her cage, examining the front side of it. I open my mouth, preparing to bite through the tendrils, but she stops me with a warning hiss.

"We tried that," she tells me. "It will not work."

I remove my jaws from the hard strands, pondering what to try next. There is an irregularity in the grid pattern, and there are extra pieces of this stuff there. I test it with my paw, recoiling in surprise as it moves with a loud snapping noise.

Encouraged, I try again, this time pressing both sides of it with my paws. The cage pops open with a loud snapping noise, sending me tumbling backwards. Dapplenose leaps out with a hoot of triumph. I quickly get to my paws, running around to release the others.

I suddenly hear pawsteps coming from outside, and turn to stare in astonishment as Foxclaw steps in through the opening. "What?" I exclaim, as explanation defies me. "Why are you here?"

"I followed you," he says simply. "I figured you were going to save the clan, and you'd need some help." I stare at him, flabbergasted for a few long, drawn-out seconds, before I spin around to continue freeing the captured cats, now aided by Dapplenose.

"Help if you want," I tell him curtly. He sighs and joins me in releasing the catches on the cages.

"How did you find us?" Dapplenose asks once we have rescued the whole clan and begin heading out.

"I followed your trail to Twolegplace," I explain, remembering my frenzied hunt. "Then I found a kittypet with a weird accent; he told me you were in this place. I came in and there you were."

I stop as we are nearly to the big open space. "There are twolegs in here," I whisper cautiously. "We must be as silent and quick as possible. The rest of the clan nods, accepting my word. I peer around the corner, scanning the twolegs to make sure none of them are looking our way.

"Go!" I signal, flicking my tail. "They're not watching! Quickly!"

The cats stream from behind me into the wide expansive area, sprinting across to the portal at the side. Three cats push on the clear sheet, slowly opening it so the rest can escape. I take up the rear, herding the whole clan through the unnatural opening.

Suddenly, one of the twolegs behind us casually glances up from what it was doing; Its jaw drops at the sight of the fleeing felines. It stands and begins hollering and running at us.

"Hurry," I squeal, shoving the last cat out into the open and pelting after them. The twolegs are hot on our trail, but we are quick and agile, weaving through tight spaces the twolegs have no hope of passing.

"Whew," I breathe, stopping near the edge of the Twolegplace to catch my breath with the rest of the clan. Suddenly, I realize this is where the strange gray tom was earlier; I have another question for him now.

"Where are you going?" Foxclaw questions as I leap up onto a nearby wooden wall; I have heard kittypets call them "fences" before.

"I want to find out what the twolegs did to them," I answer, not wanting him to join me. "Alone, if you don't mind."

"The twolegs are still looking for us," he argues. "You'll need protection…"

"I don't need anything," I snarl, eyes narrowing in defiance. "Least of all from you." I whip around, launching myself onto the ground and not waiting to see what he does in response. I catch sight of the tom from before skulking under a bush.

"Hey, there," I call to him, putting a friendly expression. "Can we talk again?"

"There be just one thing," he hisses. "Who'n is your little friend over yonder?" I bristle and whirl around to face whomever it is, letting out a growl of disgust as I see that Foxclaw followed me again.

"This," I spit, "is Foxclaw. He may be a scheming snake-heart, but he probably won't hurt you. And he's not my friend."

"Hmph," the gray tom grunts. "Well, I dun suppose he's alright. Wha'd'ya wanna know?"

"What did the twolegs do to my friends?" I ask, twisting back to face him.

"Erm," he grunts, evidently thinking about it. "I'd guess they prob'ly done spayed n' neutered 'em, is what I'd say."

My eyes blink in confusion. "What's spaying and neutering?" I ask, some trepidation creeping into my voice; those words sound bad, like removing a vital part of something.

"Oh," he exclaims. "I dun forgotten you Clanners don't know none of them Hind-leggers' terminologies. That means they'n can't mate no more; they can't have kits or nuthin'; them Hind-leggers don't want no cat babies riotin' around the place."

I let out a cry of shock, my eyes flying open. "You mean… None of them will ever have any kits again?"

"That's whut I said," he reiterates. "I'm mighty sorry fer ya, but there ain't nothin' much nobody can do, y'know?"

My legs wobble and I collapse on the ground, not wanting to believe it. "Oh, StarClan," I moan. "What are we going to do? Our clan will die out!"

The tom utters a wordless noise of pity, sorry for me but knowing he can't help.

"Th-thanks for your help," I stutter, rising shakily and moving to leave.

"Say, what'n's your name?"

I look over my shoulder, staring at his curious yet neutral gray eyes. "Shadowedleaf," I answer, my voice surprisingly soft.

"Mine's Devin. Come by anytime, 'kay?"

"Okay," I agree unsteadily. I continue on my path, loping dejectedly back to my clan.

"Did you find out?" they ask. "What did they do?" I shrug off all the questions, and step onto a gnarled tree stump.

"Attention!" I call to them. "If everyone could please look up here!" The cats cease their murmuring and turn their gazes to me, expecting some stirring speech.

"I have discovered what the twolegs have done," I begin, trying to keep a calm demeanor about myself. "I spoke to a cat who is well-versed in their strange habits, and he told me exactly what they did."

"What is it?" they cry, anxious to find out even though they dread my answer. I sigh deeply, allowing an expression of passionate regret to ease its way onto my face.

"The twolegs… altered you. They did something horrible, removed something sacred and vital—your ability to mate. It's gone. None of you will bear or raise kits again; None of you can ever know the joy of having your own family."

The dumbfounded felines stare at me in shock, their brains slowly processing my fateful announcement. As the first realize the terrible significance of their cruel new reality, they release screams and wails of anguish; the whole clan begins crying for their lost future. I sob with them, revealing my sorrow at the now inevitable demise of our great clan.

"What will we do?" Dapplenose howls in distress and horror. "We'll run out of cats!"

Suddenly, Foxclaw speaks up. "We might yet make it through this. We have three kits right now, and they will grow up to be fine warriors in time to create a new generation. But what's more," He pauses and stares directly at me as he makes a sickening proposition. "Neither I nor Shadowedleaf were affected; we could bear kits as well, and that would be enough to bring ThunderClan back."

"What?" I burst. "You and me… mates? Not in nine lifetimes!"

"It's our only option," He presses. "If we don't become mates, our clan is doomed."

My face screws up in revulsion, and I am even more disgusted when part of me agrees. Suddenly barraged by blinding emotions, I run away into the forest, trying to come up with a reason why this won't need to happen.

 _We could take in loners and rogues,_ I think, desperate to find any solution but mating with my most hated enemy. _And the three kits we have could mate with them… Or even each other if necessary._ I gag at the idea, repulsed that I even thought of that. Siblings having kits is one of the most disgusting things they can do.

Speaking of kits, I realize with a jolt of fear that Foxclaw has left them unattended in the camp. "Not again!" I screech, racing back to the clearing. I pray to the stars, hoping against hope that they've survived another day. But there's a sinking feeling in my gut that tells me something terrible has happened.

I sprint faster and faster, pleading that I'll get to the kits in time to save them from whatever I find. I burst through the gorse entrance, and shriek in horror as I see blood pooling on the ground. In the middle of the red smear lay three tiny, broken bodies; the kits are dead.

I collapse, what was left of my heart smashed and shattered, my soul brutally torn apart. My tears fill all I can see, blurring my vision into a haze of red. I barely have enough energy to keep on breathing, and I lose all sense of time.

After what could be hours, minutes, or even days, my sight clears to reveal a russet tom stepping into the camp. The reminder of all that happened before is too much, and I lose consciousness with a groan of despair.

 **Foxclaw's POV**

Shadowedleaf runs away, obviously digusted at the thought of us becoming mates. The rest of the clan doesn't seem thrilled about it either, but I think they understand, as I do, that it is our only choice.

We need more kits… I suddenly remember that I have left Dapplenose's kits back at camp.

"Fox dung!" I exclaim. "We need to get back to camp now!" I rush off into ThunderClan territory, not waiting for a response. I hear pawsteps behind me, confirming they have followed. We pelt through the forest, anxious to return to our home and our only hope. I slow as we reach the gorse barrier, a chill of foreboding rising in my chest.

"Wait here," I tell the clan as I move slowly forward and enter the camp. The first thing I notice is Shadowedleaf lying prostrate on the ground. She groans and apparently goes unconscious. With a jerk of my head and a gasp of horror, I see why: The three adorable little kits, with whom I was playing just this morning, are lying dead in a pool of blood, their throats ripped out and their life savagely torn from them.

I return to the clan, tears falling freely from my eyes. "Th-they're dead," I gulp. "The kits, they're dead."

Dapplenose was their mother, and she shrieks, shoving past me into the clearing and seeing them. "NO!" she cries, falling to the ground and writhing in agony. "Not my precious kits!" Her voice cracks, and she breaks down into uncontrollable, heart-wrenching sobs.

I stand there sadly, and it suddenly dawns on me that Shadowedleaf and I now _must_ be mates. Every other hope has been crushed. I pad slowly over to her unmoving form, nudging it gently with my paw. She groans again, rolling over and waking.

"Foxclaw," she pleads. "Tell me it was all a horrible nightmare…" The look of pure regret on my face tells her that it isn't; all those terrible events really did happen.

She exhales, seeming to have given up. "Why?" she whispers, hardly audible in the cold, unforgiving atmosphere.

"I don't know why," I respond, "But I do know that we have to be mates or ThunderClan will die; there is nothing else left."

She cries, half in sorrow at the kits' death, and half in self-pity for her situation. I sigh and wander off again, depressed now. I don't want to be her mate either, but I need to if I want to save the clan. The clan is milling around helplessly, some weeping, others trying to comfort them, still others just staring blankly ahead as they wander aimlessly.

I amble over to Cloudstar, who is talking to her deputy, Goldensplash. "Cloudstar," I call, sitting a respectful distance from the leader.

"Yes," she responds, turning her green eyes onto me. "What do you want?"

"You should call a clan meeting," I suggest. "They seem confused, and need direction." I indicate the cluster of felines with a small head motion.

"Why didn't I think of that?" she exclaims, rising to her paws. She bounds to the Skyrock, from where she addresses the clan as a whole.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" she cries, raising her head proudly above the mass of cats. Eyes are raised up to look upon her, a huge spectrum of emotions reflected in them. "You all know of the tragedy which has befallen us," she continues, eliciting a fresh chorus of saddened wails. "None of us are able to mate, and even worse, Dapplenose's kits have been killed by a fox."

A shriek of grief rises above the clamor. "Quiet!" Cloudstar orders. "But there is still hope; two brave cats escaped the twolegs and are still fertile: Shadowedleaf and Foxclaw!" The smattering of multicolored optics slowly turn to the two in question, who shrink back under their volatile stare.

"Should they agree to this," Cloudstar adds, "They will become mates, and save our clan."

I blush, bristling at my own embarrassment; Shadowedleaf, on the other paw, retches and looks away.

"They may not be, um, the most friendly of cats towards each other," Cloudstar admits awkwardly, "But they are our only hope of survival." A few weak cheers are heard from the crowd, but the more common reaction is a blank stare.

"I will now talk with them personally," Cloudstar finishes, landing softly on the ground as she dismounts from the rock. "Come here," she orders to Shadowedleaf and me, standing next to us.

I gulp down my mixed emotions and slide closer. Shadowedleaf glowers at me, but sits by me anyway. "I know you two hare each other," Cloudstar begins.

"No kidding," I reply testily. Cloudstar shoots me a stern glare, then continues.

"You must be mates. In fact, I order you to do so. And as you know, a clan leader's word is law." She stalks off, leaving Shadowedleaf and me staring at each other in dismay.

"We have to be mates now," I mumble, looking at the ground. "I don't deserve anyone, let alone the sister of the cat I violated…"

"Of course you don't," she hisses, "But now we have no choice."

She turns away, a snarl deforming her pretty face… _No, she's not pretty!_ I smack myself with my paw, banishing these greedy thoughts from my mind.

"I'm going hunting," she announces, speeding away from me. "And don't even think about following me."

I suddenly realize how tired I am, despite the fact that it's still light out, and settle down in the warriors' den; sleep when it comes is fitful, but I am grateful for what little rest it provides.

 **Shadowedleaf's POV**

I pelt into the forest, throwing myself into the task of hunting to try to distract myself from the horrible truth: I have been forced to the cat I have hated for so long I can't remember the time when he was just an annoying young warrior…

I am suddenly plunged into memory.

 _I see Foxpaw made a warrior, his eyes shining with excitement; I cheer for him along with my sister, who is pressed close to my side._

 _My vision shifts ahead, where I see Foxclaw taking Shimmerpaw hunting for the first time; his eyes gleam, not with lust, but with happiness. She returns thrilled she has found someone who likes her as more than just another apprentice._

 _Another shift; this time I see Foxclaw being told Shimmerpaw is pregnant. His jaw drops, and his optics become glazed with worry and fear, not with satisfaction, as I thought._

I slowly return to the present, profoundly moved; My grief was enough to alter my memories. This tom was not evil at all. Instead, he simply made a mistake. It may have resulted in Shimmerpaw's death, but that's not the point, I realize.

I… I forgive him. I grab what prey I have caught and run back to camp as fast as possible, dashing it down onto the pile and careening into the warriors' den. Mouse dung! Foxclaw is already asleep. Determined to let him know what I have remembered, I lay down with him, resting my head on his paws.

I am strangely comforted by this touch, even though I despised him only moments ago. "I forgive you," I whisper as he stirs. "I may not love you; I don't think I ever will, but I accept you. I accept you as my mate."


	5. If Only (for TorrentClan)

If only

I stare into his eyes, tears beginning to well up in mine. "Please," I beg. "Join my clan. I know they'll accept you…"

"You know I can't," he responds, looking down in a futile attempt to hide his regret. "I've never been good with other cats; you're the only exception…"

"Then make an exception for me!" I wail, raising my head and closing my eyes. "If for no other reason…" I whisper after a long, terrible pause, "For the kits…"

"What kits?" He exclaims, raising his head to examine me. "You—you're pregnant!" My sorrow only increases as his expression of delight is replaced by one of despair. "I'll never see them…" He turns away, but makes no move to leave.

"You could come with me," I plead one last time, guiding his face back towards mine with my tail.

"No," he grunts, forcing the word out of his mouth. "But you could leave," He suggests desperately, his green orbs wordlessly imploring me to accept. "You could become a loner…"

"No," I choke. "I—I'm sorry; I can't leave my clan. I am their leader and they need me. I still love you—"

"No you don't," he snarls. "You never loved me. You always valued your stupid clan more than your own mate; How could I have let you seduce me?" He whips away, not waiting for an answer.

"Spectre!" I cry. "Come back! Please…" There is no response as the jet-black tom stalks off into the distance. Through the haze of pain, I see blurred memories flashing in front of me.

The first time we met, he was so kind; I had fallen and sprained my leg while on patrol, and he helped me up and took me safely back to camp, supporting me tenderly the whole way. I thanked him profusely as Emberglow, the medicine cat, tended to me. His response was simple: "Any time."

Then I relive our first secret meeting. I slipped out of camp, which was easy for me, being the clan leader. I padded to the clearing on which we had decided, anticipation arcing through my pelt. Our eyes met as I stepped into the dim, ethereal light, and a sensation of ecstasy sparked in our gaze, setting my body alight with its burning passion.

We entwined our sleek forms, purring wordlessly as we curled around each other. I had known of my love for him for a while, but that night I told him, my soft whisper melting his heart. He accepted, licking my cheek in affection.

I am thrown back into the present, my anguish at his departure slicing through the reverie like a sharp claw through flesh. I shriek into the open air, sprinting back to camp in a daze.

"What's wrong, Minnowstar?" Emberglow asks as I burst into the clearing with tears streaming down my face.

"He's gone!" I wail. "Spectre left!" I collapse before her, my heart split in two.

She lies beside me, licking my tattered fur in an attempt to comfort me; all it does is remind me that I'll never feel Spectre's touch again. "It will all be fine," she soothes. "You'll have beautiful, healthy kits; It won't matter if their father isn't here. The whole clan will love them…"

I stop listening, my mind knowing none of it is true. _Nothing will ever be fine again._


	6. Imagination or Reality (TorrentClan)

Imagination or Reality

Stormkit slid out of the nursery, careful not to step on anyone's tail. He glanced furtively around the silent camp, ensuring he will not be spotted, before slowly padding through the entrance.

His eyes glinted, the only lights in the forest as he made his way to a secret clearing. This clearing was in a place nobody would ever find: The center of an ancient, massive tree.

"So you came," a silvery voice purred from the darkness.

"Of course I did," Stormkit affirmed, his voice resonating much deeper than that of a normal kit. "I need to ask you something."

"Yes?" was the reply, the unseen speaker's words dripping with curiosity.

"Why do the other cats hate me? Whenever I talk to you, they say mean things; they won't play with me. They call me… A freak." The kit's tone shot up into a wail, which faded as he uttered the taunts which had been thrown at him ever since he met this mysterious cat.

"They're wrong," the shadowy feline comforted, sliding its body around the little kit. "They can't see me because they are foolish, and stuck in this world, not knowing of the vast lands beyond, nor the cats in them. Soon they'll see that you're not crazy."

"How long will that take?" Stormkit moaned, sliding to the ground.

"It will only take another moon. Then you'll be an apprentice. Once you train hard and become the best, they won't mind that you're friends with me."

"I can't wait," Stormkit exclaimed, churning his paws in anticipation.

"The first step is to get some sleep," the dark cat told him, only half joking.

"All right," he mewed, getting up and climbing out of the hidden meeting place. "Bye, Mistclaw!"

"Bye, Stormkit! Make me proud!"

3 moons later

Stormpaw prowled the border ShadowClan shared with RiverClan, looking for signs of enemies. He kept his pelt pressed to the ground, the fog seeping from the grass sure to keep him well hidden. He caught a whiff of RiverClan scent and instantly snapped to attention, swiveling his head to see who was coming, and what their intent was.

He glimpsed two cats, one a gray tabby and one with a solid black pelt, coming across the open ground towards the border. _Odd border patrol,_ he thought. _Only two cats._ The only reason he was out alone was because this was his first solo mission.

He waited until the two RiverClan cats were a few tail-lengths from the border before rising up to challenge them. Having not seen them for a few seconds, he was surprised to see that the black one had vanished. Unperturbed, he growled at the remaining gray tabby with a menacing glint in his eyes.

"What brings you here?" He questioned. "And where'd your friend go?"

The gray tabby seemed genuinely surprised at his mention of the black cat. "What friend?" She asked, taking a bewildered step back. "I'm alone… And I'm here because I want to talk to Alderstar."

Alderstar was ShadowClan's leader, and Stormpaw was suspicious as to this RiverClan cat's motive for wanting to speak to him. Somehow forgetting about the disappeared black cat, he roughly agreed to lead this gray cat back to camp.

"Who are you, anyway?" He asked as the pair trudged through the territory.

"I'm Stonefall," she responded. "Deputy of RiverClan. Surely you knew that?"

"I'm not good with names," Stormpaw responded gruffly, embarrassed that he could have forgotten the name of the RiverClan deputy, of all cats. They walked on in silence until they reached the boggy hollow which served as ShadowClan's camp.

"Alderstar!" he called. "Someone's here for you; It's the deputy of RiverClan, Stonefall."

There was an exclamation of surprise from the leader's den, and Alderstar came out, a slightly confused expression on his face. "What entitles me to this honor?" he asked, dipping his head respectfully to the gray tabby.

Feeling no more need to hang around, Stormpaw left his father to do business with RiverClan and sat at the corner of the clearing, giving his pelt a quick wash before he would go and report to his mentor, Clawsnag.

He let out a muffled cry of shock as a paw suddenly wrapped around his muzzle, another knocking him off balance and into a thick clump of ferns.

"Don't make a sound," a silky voice hissed. "Or it'll be your last."

He nodded fearfully, twisting around to see his assailant. Smoky eyes bored into his only a mouse-length away, and he recoiled in shock. "Mistclaw," he whispered in awe, forgetting he was supposed to stay silent.

The black cat didn't make a move however, instead laughing evilly. "No, she was my mother," the she-cat replied. "Though many say we're nearly identical." Stormpaw now noticed that the shape of her head was different, and also she was a bit smaller than Mistclaw had been, so long ago when he had been trained by her.

"But how?" he croaked, flooded with memories of being taunted for his 'Imaginary friend'. "She wasn't real…"

"Oh, Mistclaw was real all right," the stranger affirmed. "Or I wouldn't be standing here now, would I?"

"Well then," Stormpaw uttered, completely flabbergasted. "Who are you?"

"I'm Mistshine," she answered, gazing deep into his eyes. "And I'm your half-sister."

"What?" He exclaimed, leaping back from Mistshine. "No, you're not! My dad was Alderstar, and my mom was Cloudpelt; She died giving birth to me…"

"He lied," Mistshine cackled. "Your real mother was Mistclaw too."

"You're lying! That can't be true!"

"Oh but it is!" her eyes shone with glee as she continued with her terrible narrative. "Poor Mistclaw was patrolling alone; she accidentally fell onto ShadowClan territory. It was muddy and she slipped down the hill; it wasn't her fault. But Alderstar wouldn't have that, now would he?"

"I'm sure he was fair…" Stormpaw desperately tried to redeem his father. _Surely he would understand!_

"Oh, he wasn't," Mistshine continued darkly. "He was furious. He was alone, too, so there would be no witnesses. And of course, the clan would trust the word of a leader over that of a petty warrior, right?"

"What did he do?" Stormpaw burst, his curiosity ravaging his mind. Mistshine only smirked, dragging out the silence until Stormpaw wanted to scream.

"He did only what any _respectable_ and _fair_ —as you put it—leader would do. He pinned her down, rolled her over, and forced himself on her. He violated my mother, leaving her to bear his kit, and his mark, forever."

Stormpaw collapsed, not willing to believe it. _He couldn't. My father would never do that._

"Don't believe me, do you? Then let me ask you, where did you get your black stripes?"

Stormpaw glanced at his own fur; he had never looked closely, assuming it was gray like his father's. He gasped as he saw thin but clearly defined lines of ebony fur running down his chest and back. Tears welled up in his eyes as he realized it was true. His father was evil, and he was now the son of a criminal.

"Cloudpelt was killed secretly in the middle of the night. Your clan thought it was foxes; that was Mistclaw's plan. Of course, when she died in a battle with ShadowClan, she got sent to the Dark Forest as if she was the criminal."

Mistshine's gray optics burned into Stormpaw with their vehemence. "That's where you met her, I expect."

Stormpaw got up, blurting out his realization. "That's why nobody else could see her!"

"Yes," Mistshine confirmed. "She made sure you'd be the best apprentice so you'd get sent to keep watch on RiverClan; That's what Alderstar has done ever since his… incident. And so I could take my mother's revenge!"

Mistshine leapt at him, bowling him over and sinking her claws into his chest. He was too shocked to even cry out, falling limp in her icy grip. "You should never have existed," she snarled, digging her claws in deeper. "Now you'll die, and your disgusting father will see it all!"

She yowled these words, calling Alderstar to the scene. "Stormpaw!" He shrieked, staring in horror at his son pinned beneath the black warrior.

"Mistshine," he pleaded, turning to the black she-cat. "Please… I can explain. You don't have to do this!"

"I don't have to…" Mistshine jested, sliding her claws slowly across Stormpaw's skin and eliciting a scream of pain from the gray tom. "But then again, you didn't have to impregnate Mistclaw, now did you?"

"Please," Alderstar whimpered, pressing himself pitifully to the ground. "Stop this. Do whatever you want to me; I made the mistake. But don't hurt Stormpaw!"

"The best way I've found to hurt someone," Mistshine growled. "Is to hurt the ones they love most. A cat can endure any amount of external pain, but grief… It breaks them inside."

She looked down at Stormpaw, grinning with pleasure as she lowered her jaws to his throat. "Say goodbye," she whispered, her teeth slowly penetrating into his neck, drawing his lifeblood out onto his fur.

"No!" Alderstar shrieked, flying through the air and knocking Mistshine over. She retained her grip on Stormpaw, and he was knocked against the ground with a dull thud, eyes glazing over in pain.

"You," Alderstar screeched at Mistshine, his amber orbs clouded in rage. "You're the only cat who will die today!" He lunged forward, slicing his claws through the air at her throat.

Stormpaw watched in slow motion as his father neared, light glancing off his extended talons. Mistshine raised Stormpaw, shielding herself with his limp form. Alderstar's eyes widened in terror as his paw slid across Stormpaw's fur, tearing open a fatal gash in his throat. The leader let out a ghastly howl of horror as Stormpaw's body dropped to the ground.

"Even better," Mistshine smirked, turning away and slipping into the shadows.

"I'm sorry," Alderstar moaned, collapsed beside his dying son. "This is all my fault… Say hello to—" he choked on his words. "To Cloudpelt for me, okay?"

"Okay," Stormpaw gurgled, exhaling for the last time.


	7. Liar (TorrentClan)

Liar

Alderstar almost broke apart; he could feel his heart cracking inside him. But he knew he must stay strong; he was leader of ShadowClan, and he couldn't let his grief show. Mistshine had just left, and he had killed his own son.

He picked up the frail body, tears barely contained in his eyes as he carried it out into the middle of camp and set it down on the cold ground. The clan let out a collective gasp of shock at seeing Stormpaw dead.

"What happened?" exclaimed Clawsnag, the tom's mentor. Alderstar didn't answer, instead leaping up onto the Meeting Rock and addressing the whole of the clan.

"Cats of ShadowClan!" he yowled, turning his face so they wouldn't see him cry. He wiped his eyes with a paw, then continued. "Stormpaw is dead!"

The few cats who hadn't heard wailed at the sight of the body before them.

"He was my son; I loved him dearly. He was a great apprentice, one of the best, and trained as hard as he could. His death comes too soon!" The clan mourned with their leader, save a few who simply stared blankly, unable to express their grief.

"He was murdered!" Alderstar exclaimed, snapping the cats out of their sorrow. "Yes, that's right. He was mercilessly killed by none other than Mistshine of RiverClan!" Several cats growled in anger at the supposed killer of their apprentice.

"He was my kit with Cloudpelt, and Mistshine was jealous; Her mother had loved me but instead I had stayed loyal to my clan…"

"Liar!" One cat yowled. "You're a liar! She never loved you! I heard it all!"

Alderstar nearly fell off the rock, his claws scraping as he shakily regained his balance.

"Mistshine didn't kill him! You did, with your crimes!"

"Who dares?" Alderstar blustered. "Who dares insult me like this?"

The cat revealed itself, and Alderstar's throat closed up; it was his loyal deputy, Nighthawk. "I saw your confrontation with Mistshine," he hissed. "What she said was true: You exploited her mother, and the result was that cat!" He glared at Stormpaw's body. "But that's not all: In his final moments, it was not Mistshine's claws which pierced his throat, but your own! In your bloodlust, you murdered your own son! I denounce you as leader!"

There was an uproar, many cats siding with Nighthawk and most others simply bewildered and undecided.

Alderstar gave up, slithering to the ground. "It's true," he confessed meekly. "I did violate Mistclaw, and she did give birth to Stormpaw. And today, Mistshine secretly came to camp and grabbed Stormpaw. I leapt to try to kill her, but instead…" He broke down into sobs, the last of his self-esteem gone. "Instead, I killed poor Stormpaw!"

The clan raged at him, the lies inciting them into a fury. "Throw him out," they screeched. "He's no longer our leader!" Alderstar gave no resistance, allowing the cats to sweep him away from Stormpaw's body and out into the shadowy forest. They deposited him outside of the borders, sneering at him as they departed and left him there, broken and clanless.

Alderstar got up and started wandering, his tears slicking the ground beneath him. "Why?" He cried. "Why did I have to do that? He was all I had!"

A shadowy form stepped out slowly from behind a tree. "Mistclaw," Alderstar gasped, staring in astonishment at the black she-cat.

"It's me," she mewed, stepping to him and looking straight into his amber eyes. "I hope you enjoy the Dark Forest like I did!" She lashed out, cutting into his neck with such force that it spun his body around. He fell to the ground, and the last thing he saw was two rings of gray glowing down into his empty soul.


	8. Yours or Mine? (TorrentClan)

_**Yours or Mine?**_

I wailed loudly; my mother wasn't here, and I was hungry. "Mama!" I mewled. "Where are you?"

"I'm here, sweetie," she suddenly answered; I heard bracken crackling as she approached. "Birchkit, it's okay, I'm here now."

I stopped crying, comforted now that I knew she was here. "I'm hungry," I told her, blindly feeling my way towards her scent.

"Right here," she purred, lying down and gently guiding my head to her belly.

I began to suckle, happily guzzling the warm milk. When I was full, I snuggled beside her to take a nap. I nodded off, lulled into slumber by the gentle rise and fall of her flank against my body.

 _ **Later…**_

I slowly wake up, blinking the sleep from my eyes…

I'm blinking! My eyes are open now!

Great StarClan...

The world is so huge! The trees are gigantic, the bushes are so big I could fit between their branches, and even the ferns are taller than me! I close my eyes again, the sudden splash of huge colorful shapes overloading my mind.

Cautiously, I edge one eye open, then the other. I'm a bit more used to sight now; I keep my eyes open this time. With a jolt, I realize I am alone.

"Mama?" I call tentatively. I hear pawsteps, and decide to go find her. I get up and totter across the clearing, pushing through ferns and branches to get to where she is.

I poke my head out, and see her talking to another cat. _Who is he?_ I wonder. Curious, I pad up behind them.

"Where will we take him?" I hear Mama say, her voice quivering with an unfamiliar emotion, anxiety.

"I could take him," the other cat replies quietly, seeming reluctant.

"He still needs milk," Mama argues slowly. "I should be the one to keep him."

"You know your clan is much stricter," the other cat pleads. "Especially since the scandal with Alderstar and Mistclaw…"

"I know," Mama cuts in, seeming regretful but determined. "But I have to be the one to take him."

Unable to hold in my curiosity, I hop in between them, intending to find out what is going on. I let out a cry of alarm as a pebble dislodges beneath my paw, sending me sprawling onto the ground.

"Birchkit, are you all right?" my mother gasps, leaping forward to nudge me back to my paws.

"I'm fine," I protest feebly.

"Your eyes are open!" she exclaims, happily examining my face.

Slightly disconcerted, I take a step backwards. "Y-yeah, they are," I reply. "Who's that?" I can now see the tom's face; He is mostly black but for splashes of white on his paws, chest, and face.

"That..." Mama says, glancing from me to him with both love and sadness in her eyes, "that is your father."

I stare at the tom uncomprehendingly for a few seconds; I begin to see the love in his gaze. "Daddy?"

"Yes, little Birchkit," he purrs, nuzzling my face. "I'm your daddy."

He turns back to my mama, regret evident in his tone as he speaks to her. "So, Shiningwhisper. Will he be yours or mine?"

"He'll be mine," she sighs, turning back to me. "Come on," she beckons, guiding me with her tail. "We're going home."

I look back as we near the edge of the clearing; The tom is gazing after us, a single tear running from his eye. "Please, can't we make this work?" He asks desperately.

"Oh, Lightsplash," Shiningwhisper moans, turning to face the tom with tears in her eyes too, "You know we can never make this work." Before she can completely break down, she continues walking, and I follow her mutely.

After the clearing has vanished from sight, I look up at Shiningwhisper. "Mama?" I ask. "Why can't he come with us? Why does Daddy have to leave?"

"He has to be with his own clan," she whispers. "We are from ShadowClan, but he is from RiverClan; We must stay with our clans." Explaining this seems to drain her; she continues through the forest with her tail down, brushing against the ground. She hardly seems to look where she is going.

"I'm sorry, Mama," I mew, hopping ahead to look her in the eye.

"It's not your fault, Birchkit," she replies mechanically, brushing past me and into a dense thicket of gorse. Not knowing what else to do, I follow her through a slim tunnel. We emerge into a large clearing—much larger than the one in which we saw Lightsplash—and several of the nearby cats gasp at our arrival.

"Shiningwhisper!" One exclaims; he is a solid black tom with green eyes. "Where have you been? I looked all over for you! I thought… I thought you were dead…" He leaps over to her, nuzzling her cheek fervently.

"I'm sorry, father," she whispers hoarsely, the emotion obviously too much for her as tears run down her face.

"But… Who is this?" The black tom asks, turning to look at me.

"This is Birchkit," she explains, wiping her eyes with a paw and nudging me towards the black tom. "He's my son. Birchkit, come say hi to your grandfather, Nightstar." I slowly obey, sniffing the tom's scent.

"You smell like me," I comment; his thick, earthy scent matches mine, albeit lacking the telltale smell of milk.

"I should hope so," he replies, twitching his whiskers in amusement. "We are kin, after all." He seems to suddenly have a question, as he turns to Shiningwhisper again. "Who's the father?" he asks quickly.

Mama mumbles something and steps back slightly, crouching and flattening her ears.

"What's wrong?" Nightstar asks, leaning closer to her.

"I—it's…" she stammers quietly, closing her eyes to make it easier to say. "It's Lightsplash."

"Of RiverClan?" Nighstar visibly recoils; for some reason this upsets him.

"Yes," Shiningwhisper says more clearly. "Birchkit's father is Lightsplash from RiverClan."

The other cats apparently haven't heard; they instantly let out cries of shock.

"How could you do this?" some ask.

"But you're the leader's daughter," others say.

Some turn their heads in disgust. I cringe at the adverse reaction. Surely they like Lightsplash too! He was really nice!

"Come to my den with me," Nightstar grunts, turning and walking towards a rock with a large cleft in it. Mama and I follow reluctantly, but spurred on by the desire to escape the jeers of all the unfamiliar cats.

"Why did you do this?" Nightstar moans as we enter the secluded den. "I can't believe you would mate with a cat from another clan, especially after Alderstar…"

"I know," Shiningwhisper sighs, plopping down beside Nightstar. "But we loved each other…"

"You're right," Nightstar admits. "At least this kit was born from love, not lust." There is silence for a few moments; I shuffle my paws, having nothing to say.

"I will accept this kit into the clan," Nightstar mews finally. "They won't like it, though. You'll be on thin ice for a while…"

"I know," My mama answers, "But as long as Birchkit is safe, then it's okay."

Nightstar nods, rising and exiting the den. "Wait in here until I finish telling them," he calls over his shoulder. "I want to gauge their reaction first." I'm not sure what he means, but I stay put.

"It'll be all right," Mama purrs, sliding close to me.

"I know," I reply, pressing my pelt to hers. I can hear Nightstar addressing the cats; he calls them ShadowClan as he tells them we will be staying.

"Are we ShadowClan too?" I ask. "Yes, little one," Mama answers. "We are ShadowClan; soon, you'll be in the nursery, where you can rest." I yawn as I nod; I'm tired now.

"You can come out now," Nightstar announces, poking his head into the den. "They're not incredibly thrilled, but they won't do anything too bad."

We get up, and I stumble my way across the camp, hardly hearing the taunts leveled at us as I approach a comfy-looking den Mama says is the nursery.

"Sleep tight," she whispers as we lie down in the soft down. "Sweet dreams."

I am already drifting off; the mist of sleep covers my vision as I close my eyes, darkness enveloping me in its warm embrace.


	9. Trouble (TorrentClan)

Trouble

 **Note: This is before the events of "Imagination or Reality"**

 **Note the second: There are a couple physical references in here; I kept them pretty vague and not very descriptive but if you're quite sensitive, you have been notified.**

"Ravenheart, wake up!" Reedfur calls, poking his head into my den. "It's nearly sunhigh already!"

I groan, not wanting to get out of my comfortable nest. Here is the only place I can't cause any more trouble. But I know that if I stay here, I'll probably be punished for my laziness. Defeatedly, I rise onto my paws, shaking the last scraps of moss from my pelt as I make my way out of the den.

"What do you want me to do?" I ask, suppressing another groan.

"Come on the sunhigh patrol," Reedfur requests. "We're going to check on the ShadowClan border with Mistclaw."

I nod my head reluctantly, knowing there's no way I can refuse. I wait in the clearing, quickly eating a scrawny mouse as Reedfur goes to get Mistclaw.

He returns with the black she-cat in tow. "Let's go!"

I take a last rueful glance back at my den before heading off on the patrol. "Why are we patrolling the ShadowClan border?" I ask, trying to hide my anxiety; I really don't want to start a battle, but that sort of thing tends to happen around me.

"What, are you scared?" Reedfur taunts, shooting me a quick look of contempt. "As if three full warriors can't deal with any patrol of theirs."

I let out a quiet growl; none of the other warriors seem to believe that I have really bad luck; they all just scorn me. I think back to the first terrible thing my curse caused.

I had just become an apprentice. I was going exploring the territory with my mentor; He was a good friend of my mother, and had played with me as a kit. I loved this tom like a father; mine had never been known, and those rumors were spread throughout the clan. However, Mudsplash saw past them, and loved me back.

As we toured the borders, we approached a twoleg Thunderpath. This one had been inactive for a while, so he invited me to feel the surface and smell its stench.

It could have been nothing but a curse when, that instant, a huge monster came thundering towards me. I was paralyzed in terror, but Mudsplash threw himself on me, knocking me out of the way just in time. He was crushed by the monster, and I was devastated for moons afterwards.

My bad luck continued, only getting worse and worse with each passing day.

I shake myself from my dark thoughts; we have reached the border. Warily, I join Mistclaw and Reedfur in resetting the marks. Suddenly, I feel an irresistible urge.

"I need to go make dirt," I tell Reedfur.

"That's fine," he responds. "I'll watch for foxes and things; wouldn't want one of _those_ creeping up on you while you're doing your business, eh?"

I shiver at the thought, half convinced that he jinxed it and it will happen now. I go off anyway, my stomach churning with dread as I find a secluded clearing. Once I have finished, I scrape earth over the area and go back to Reedfur, telling him I'm done.

"No foxes to report," he snickers, obviously intending it as a joke. Instead, it worsens my apprehension. I feel as if something bad must happen now, and it's even scarier that I don't have an idea what it will be.

"We'd better get back to Mistclaw," I suggest nervously, shuffling my paws.

"Oh, there's no hurry," Reedfur scoffs. "Since we're back in the forest, we might as well hunt."

"No," I insist. "We need to regroup with Mistclaw!"

"Whatever," he sneers, moving his legs dramatically slowly as he heads back to the border. I growl at him, speeding ahead in an attempt to make him go faster. Suddenly, I freeze in my tracks; I detect an impact at the edge of my hearing.

"Did you hear that?" I ask.

"What?" Reedfur drawls. "That was a stick falling or something, obviously. Why are you so jumpy?"

I don't answer; my heart is pounding with dread. I detect a high pitched sound, and angle my ears towards it. My stomach flips over as my fears are realized; I hear a deep growl, then another scream, this one much louder than before.

"That was Mistclaw!" I screech, already beginning to sprint towards the source. "Come on!"

Reedfur seems to have figured it out; he pelts after me as we tear through the pine trees. We are surprisingly far from where the sound is coming from; Mistclaw must have gone farther along the border. With a yowl, I burst from the last of the tree cover, expecting to see a fight occurring, or some similar violent occurrence.

There is nothing of the sort; all I see is a steep, muddy slope. I poise myself to descend, and gasp in horror; at the bottom lies Mistclaw, moaning weakly in a small puddle of blood. I slither down as fast as possible, rushing over to the fallen she-cat.

"Are you all right?" I shriek. "What happened?"

She raises her head weakly, shifting her legs. "I… I fell on a rock…"

I look around, not seeing one, then realize it's underneath her.

"Where did you hit it?" I ask, moving to carefully help her up. She blushes slightly, vaguely indicating the area between her legs. I blush too; it's a bit awkward as I'm not her mate. But I also cringe a little, as I know that spot is very sensitive.

"Okay," I mew as she leans on me, Reedfur coming to support her from the other side. "Let's get you back to camp."

She nods, seeming somewhat exhausted as we make our way up the slope and back through the forest. She seems to be fine, but there is a nagging feeling in my stomach that something else happened; with my luck, it surely wouldn't be as superficial as falling on a rock. I sigh as we approach the camp; I don't think Mistclaw would lie, but at the same time I can't believe nothing worse has occurred.

"Sorrelwind!" Reedfur yowls, calling for the medicine cat. She responds quickly, rushing out with a few miscellaneous herbs clamped in her jaws.

"What's wrong?" She asks, glancing at each of us to find out who was hurt. We carefully set Mistclaw down, nodding at the slight drips of blood which have appeared on the ground.

"Oh dear," Sorrelwind breathes, leaning down to the panting black she-cat. "I can take care of her."

I nod, stepping away with Reedfur. "I hope she's okay," I mew as we approach the fresh-kill pile. "She looks like she's in pain…"

"Sorrelwind is a great medicine cat," Reedfur assures. "She'll be fine."

I nod unsurely, but continue retrieving a piece of prey to eat. I'm too worried to pay attention to what I grabbed; as I bite into it, I nearly choke on the feathers.

Reedfur thumps me on the back with a paw. "Careful!"

I gulp, swallowing the mouthful awkwardly. As I resume eating, this time more wary of the feathers, I catch sight of Mintshade padding towards me. Her gorgeous tortoiseshell pelt ripples in the slight breeze, bringing out her elegant curves…

 _Stop it!_ I reprimand myself. _You know if you're with her, something horrible will happen!_

But I can't deny the tingling that rushes through my skin at the mere thought of that beautiful she-cat. "Hi, Mintshade," I call, trying to sound calm and neutral.

"What happened?" she asks, sidling over and lightly brushing my short fur with her long, glossy pelt. "I saw Reedfur getting Sorrelwind. Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine," I reply, struggling to keep an even voice. We've been doing things together for a while, but she's still just a friend, right? "I—it's just Mistclaw; she fell on a rock." I glance over at the black she-cat; she looks better as she heads to the medicine den with Sorrelwind.

"She seems all right now," Mintshade comments, turning her wondrous green eyes back to mine. "Come on, I have something to tell you."

She purrs quietly as she nudges me to my feet and leads me out of camp, her tail resting around my shoulders. My heart twinges with conflicting sensations, some dark and some incredibly warm. I am scared of what she might say, but more importantly, what will happen because of it.

Already panting slightly from apprehension, I shake my head in a vain attempt to clear it. She looks over at me, a bright glint in her eyes which sends my fears even deeper into my mind.

"Here we are," she announces as we emerge into a beautiful clearing, ringed by pristine ash trees and lit soothingly by the light of the sun. She lets out a deep breath, lying down on the warm earth.

My inside in turmoil, I sit awkwardly beside her, trying to look at her face. She purrs again, this time deeper, and shifts her position so instead she is lying on her back. Her legs are slightly apart, and it is all I can do to keep my gaze above her stomach.

"Oh, Ravenheart," she coos, drawing me back into her profound emerald orbs, "I have to tell you… I love you. You're so shy and at the same time so kind and wonderful… Will you be my mate?"

I jerk backwards; I knew this was coming, but it doesn't lessen the impact. I make wordless gurgling noises, attempting to disentangle the fray of thoughts whirling through my head.

I love her back; I have for a while, but have suppressed it due to my curse… And what a curse this is. If I admit my feelings, I know it will strike her down; I'd never forgive myself. But if I lie, I will be rejecting my true love, my only chance at real happiness.

I close my eyes, praying that when I open them again, I will be freed from this terrible dream. But when I do, I am greeted with the same scene as before, Mintshade looking up at me expectantly, waiting for my answer. I feel tears start to seep down my cheeks, and I can no longer control myself.

Barely able to contain a wail of anguish, I spin around, sprinting off into the forest. I don't care where I end up; I just want to get away from it all. I run until my legs completely give out, sending me sprawling onto the ground somewhere outside of clan territory. Exhausted and sick with misery, I lie on the leaves, heaving for breath and wishing I could just end it all.

Time passes—I don't know how much—and I slowly regain my breath. However, the ache in my heart is still there, twisting at my insides and leaving my mind half numb. The sun sets lazily; I don't care for the time anymore, nor anything save the grief tearing at my heart.

Eventually, I hear bracken rustling close by, and someone calling my name. I resign myself to being brought back, sighing and wearily pulling myself to my feet. The cat emerges from the bushes, and I topple over again; It's Mintshade.

"What's wrong?" she wails, trying to approach me. I shuffle away, but she moves closer. "Do you not love me?"

Her eyes begin to brim with tears, running down her perfect face as she blinks them away. "That's okay, you can just…" She breaks off into a hiccup. "Just tell me."

"No," I manage, my own salty liquids welling up and spilling onto the forest floor. "It's not that."

"Then tell me what it is!" she begs, closing her eyes as she cries. "If you love me, why can't you just say it?"

"Because," I gulp. "Because if I do, you'll die."

"What?" she exclaims, eyes shooting open in disbelief. "Why?"

This is the first time I've ever truly opened up to anyone about this; most other times I vaguely say something about a curse, or bad luck, but now is different.

"Everyone I was ever really close to has died," I whimper.

"When I was made an apprentice, the first thing I did was to get my mentor killed on the thunderpath." Hearing her gasp of horror, I flinch, but continue my terrible story.

"Next, I was going to my first gathering, about a moon and a half later. My mother was with me; I was scared of the other clans, but she said they were okay. I went up to some ShadowClan apprentices and introduced myself. They didn't act very rude, but didn't include me. I turned to a cat from RiverClan; she was all alone and seemed small for an apprentice. This was obviously seen as a mark of inferiority; the other cats instantly started picking on her, calling names and cuffing her with paws. I tried to defend her, but it got violent. They—" I break off, choking at the sorrow of the memory.

"They u-unsheathed their claws and attacked us. There were too many; I couldn't defend against them… She was killed." Mintshade makes a distraught gurgle and collapses beside me.

"That's not the end of it," I continue, voice quivering. "I was so traumatized, I didn't leave camp for a moon. Finally my new mentor persuaded me to go hunting. We were by some rocks and an adder attacked. My second mentor died horribly; her mouth was foaming and her screams were even heard by ThunderClan." Mintshade was by now devastated, weeping at the death I was retelling.

"The day I was made a warrior, we were attacked; I was supposed to be keeping vigil, but had fallen asleep…" I choke into sobs, burying my face in my paws. "they killed the rest of my family," I cry, my voice muffled by the fur in front of my muzzle.

"And now, I was on patrol and had to make dirt; Mistclaw got hurt but I know it was much worse than just a rock, but that's not the worst part. I know it's all my fault!"

This sends me over the edge, my howls of grief tearing at my vocal cords as I scream at the horrible death I have brought on everyone I know. My throat is ripped raw; my wails ebb slowly to choking gasps, then to shallow, rasping breaths as my energy fades. Inhaling sharply, I look around at Mintshade. She has curled herself around me, crying with me.

"You're still here," I sniffle, my last tear dripping down into the puddle on the ground. She nods, leaning forward to nuzzle my cheek.

"I still love you," she whispers. "Nothing can change that."

The fear reenters my mind; I can't bear to go on, day after day, just waiting for that moment when the curse will strike. I leap to my paws, running into the forest again, this time back to camp.

As I blunder through the entrance, a leaf of catmint flutters past my face, sending a sudden idea coursing through my head. I can go see Sorrelwind! Surely a medicine cat will know about curses and prophecies! Or at the very least, she'll have something to ease my pain.

I approach the thick, cozy reed den, but halt when I hear Mistclaw sobbing.

"It's okay, you can tell me," Sorrelwind mews gently. The dread slams into me like a huge boulder, but an irresistible force keeps my ear pinned to the wall, hearing every terrible word.

"I-it was on the border patrol," Mistclaw manages through her moans. My heart falls into my stomach; I can hardly breathe. I was right; there was something worse. I almost can't bear to hear it, but part of me needs to know.

"I—I was on the Sh-ShadowClan border," Mistclaw continues, gulping between each sentence. "I fell down a hill, and across the border; it was muddy and slippery. I tried to get up, but then Alderstar… He came out of the trees and p-pinned me down." She lets out a small squeal, which cuts off abruptly.

"He s-said, 'you dirty RiverClan cat, you crossed the border!' I tried to tell him it was an accident, but he wouldn't listen. 'There's only o-one punishment,' he said. 'there's only one p-punishment for cats like you.'" She cries again for a few moments, wrenching my insides in despair and preemptive horror for what she would say next.

"Then he—He…" She can't finish, breaking up into more sobs. Sorrelwind comforts her quietly until she regained her voice.

"He mated me," she wails, losing it again. "And now I'm going to be pregnant!"

I collapse on the ground, gasping for breath. This is arguably the worst thing I have caused. Her suffering won't be over quickly; instead, it will last for moons, each day reminding her it is my fault.

I whimper, shoving my face into the dirt. I don't even hear Mistclaw leave the medicine den, too engrossed in my gloom. I look up glumly, and am surprised to see Sorrelwind looking back at me.

"What's wrong?" she asks in her soothing voice.

"It's my fault," I moan, setting my head back on my paws.

She recoils slightly, but looks at me again, acceptance and sadness in her eyes. "So you heard."

I nod, looking away; I know I shouldn't have eavesdropped.

"She's your friend," Sorrelwind says, giving me a comforting lick. "You have the right to know. But… why is it your fault?"

I sigh as I begin my story; thankfully she knows what happened, and I only have to say why. "I'm cursed," I begin. "I've always been clumsy and not a great warrior, and so many horrible things happen to everyone around me. What… What do I do?"

"I can see it in your eyes," she says in a strange, silky tone. "Beyond the grief and the anger… True love. It is stronger than anything, your anger, your curse… Stronger even than death. You must embrace this; if you do, nothing can touch you."

"I don't believe that," I respond dejectedly; there can't be anything stronger than this curse.

"You have to," she insists, drawing my face into hers. "It's the only way. You mustn't let your past define your future!"

Slightly unnerved, I break away. I am nothing if not more conflicted than ever. "Thanks," I mew over my shoulder, confusion evident in my tone as I lope across the clearing to a secluded area behind a holly bush.

Suddenly, cat scent wafts over me; it's Mintshade. I groan, not wanting to deal with this now, but she emerges anyway, concern filling her astonishing green eyes.

"I know you love me," she whispers, slowly sliding up to me and running her tail across my chin. "Why can't you just say it? Then we could be together…"

I stop listening, paying mind only to the tingling in my body as she touches me, and the emotions inside.

Probing my feelings, I discover a black wall of fear surrounding everything. I hate it but I know it's right… _No!_ _I will not be controlled by my fear!_ Angrily, I push against the wall. It pushes back with a strange, eerie growl. Undeterred, I push harder, growling back at it. With an infinitely satisfying crack, it breaks open, revealing the spinning orbs of emotion within.

First is grief; it is a depressing shade of blue, a color so deep it almost could make one cry at its very sight. With a sigh, I push it aside.

Next is anger; this one is a frighteningly intense red, pulsating savagely. I resist its pull, moving it away.

Third comes simple happiness: the satisfaction of serving my clan well, or the sensation of running across the land, catching prey.

Slightly uplifted, I pass by this one to the final ball: Love. It glows profoundly, but is not threatening. Its passion seeps out of it, tendrils of warmth reaching out to me.

I think back to Sorrelwind's words: "You must embrace this." I take a deep breath, steadying myself to plunge into the unknown. I allow the tendrils to grab hold of me, pulling me into the shining orb of love. Suddenly, they speed up, throwing my unsuspecting form into a whirlwind of images and feeling.

I yowl loudly, not prepared for the pain that accompanies this. It fades however, replaced by fleeting images: Me and Mintshade sharing tongues, us hunting in the forest, teasing each other playfully, and finally, her in the nursery, suckling several beautiful kits… our beautiful kits.

I allow myself to return to the real world, my emotional journey complete. This has taken barely the span of a second; Mintshade is moving around behind me, purring forlornly.

"Just say it," she whispers. I turn slowly, my eyes now alight with the joy I have finally found.

"I love you," I whisper back, leaning in to rub my muzzle on hers. Her purr deepens, intensifying as she turns to wrap her tail around mine. "And I will be your mate forever. I denounce this curse; it cannot separate us. Oh, Mintshade…" I break off into a small moan, lying next to her.

"This can't have been easy," she mews, locking her gaze with mine. "But everything will be all right."

Hypnotized by the emeralds in her eyes, I slowly drift off, my breaths matching hers as she falls asleep beside me. "Mates," I whisper, savoring the feeling of her fur against mine. "Mates forever."

 **Final note: I just checked: All my stories have reached a total of... Drumroll please! (drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)**

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 **O.O That's incredible. To everyone who's reading this (Yes, even you!) You're amazing. I can't thank you enough.**


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